


Stannitz Issues

by Oliver_Harvey



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 11:40:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6656419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliver_Harvey/pseuds/Oliver_Harvey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stannitz, the combination of Stark, Banner and Fitz, tells the short fanfic tale of how Tony realises his feelings for Bruce just as Bruce thinks he's lost Fitz. The feels. Too many.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stannitz Issues

"Do you still have the data from Loki's sceptre?" Leopold Fitz asked his lab partner. Dr Bruce Banner looked startled at Fitz's formality but said, "Yes, of course. It's just over here. I'll show you." He walked to the other side of the lab and opened up some files on his computer, spreading them out onto the wall of the lab. There were many perks of having a lab in Stark's house, and state-of-the-art computers was one of them. 

"Thank you Dr Banner." Fitz muttered, flicking through the data on the mysterious sceptre. Bruce went back to his notes but kept an eye on Fitz. He wasn't normally so uptight. A few minutes went by and some of the Avengers could be heard leaving the building. "I suppose that's time to get some sleep, right Fitz?" 

Dissatisfied with the lack of reply, Bruce turned Fitz so they were looking straight into one another's eyes. "What's wrong with you today?" Banner asked. "I uh," Fitz started. For a moment, Bruce thought he'd finally get some answers. His hopes were short-lived as the young scientist closed his mouth shut and walked out of the lab in silence. 

"Tony?" Dr Banner spoke through Jarvis, hopefully on a private line. "Lucky me! Dr Banner wants to talk to me everyone!" The sarcastic tone wasn't well taken by Bruce so he cut to the chase. Now wasn't the time to pay attention to Tony teasing him. "Have you been talking to Fitz?" Banner asked. There was a long pause on the other end of the line until Jarvis said, "I do apologise Dr Banner; Mr Stark seems to be coming to the lab. Goodnight sirs." 

Jarvis put himself into sleep mode and the lab's door swished open to reveal a tired-looking Tony Stark. "You certainly have a busy little thinker in there, don't you?" Tony went over to Bruce and poked him on the forehead as he spoke. "And no, I didn't speak to your precious Fitz. I've told you before, that's your job." Bruce suddenly felt very small and waved away Tony's comments. "Well it doesn't matter now. I can't tell him I like him if he's distracted all the time." 

Tony dropped his cocky façade and became a supportive friend. "Come on now Brucy, you can't give up now? I'm sure it was just about Jemma or Daisy?" Bruce nodded and let out a sigh. "That's probably what it was," he said. "Jemma was having an exam today to see if she's ready to get back to work. They're like brother and sister and I forgot." 

"You can't beat yourself up for forgetting one thing about Fitz's life. You remember his birthday, his parent's wedding anniversary, even the type of cheese he prefers on his burger. He wasn't annoyed at you, Bruce." Tony held his friend in his arms and sighed heavily. "Calm down Brucy. Nothing is ever as bad as it seems, is it?" Dr Banner laughed but then his face fell. "He likes her, doesn't he? I've been too slow Tony, what do I do?" 

"I don't know Bruce," Tony mumbled. He was out of ideas. His friend was in so much pain but he couldn't do anything to stop it. "I just don't know what to say." He sat down on the desk behind him and looked down to the floor. He was rarely defeatist but if he couldn't help Bruce than what was his job? Bruce needed him. With a single movement, Bruce pulled Tony's chin up so their eyes met. That's when the tonne of bricks hit home for Tony. "I love you." 

The words had just fallen out of his mouth, no louder than a whisper. Still, Bruce heard them. Every. Single. Word. Dr Banner staggered backwards from his friend and lab-partner, shocked to the core. "What did you just say?" Each word from Bruce was in a stutter, as if it caused him pain to talk. Tony came back to reality and couldn't believe he'd spoken his thought aloud. "Oh shit. I don't even know where that came from." 

Dr Banner strode around the lab in a large circle whilst Tony spluttered his excuses again and again, over and over. The entire day had been a mess. Bruce finally stopped when he'd gathered his thoughts into a decent order and took in Tony Stark for who he was in that very moment. He wasn't the player who drank too much. He wasn't the big-headed super hero who loved the fame. He wasn't even the irritatingly good scientist that showed off whenever he invented some useful new technology. 

The Tony Stark right here, right now, was vulnerable, truthful and embarrassed. "Please don't get angry?" Tony said slowly, well aware that spikes in emotion from Bruce caused the 'big guy' to show his ugly green face. Bruce was so sure that Tony was going to say something serious that he burst out laughing. Dr Banner laughed until his sides hurt. Tony was normally trying to aggravate him, not trying to calm him down. 

Blushing furiously, Tony decided to put on his usual confident act and grabbed Bruce tightly. "What, um," Dr Banner stuttered. It was a now-or-never moment as Tony moved in closer towards his best friend, pausing a breath away to exchange a look. Bruce wasn't stopping him. Their lips suddenly met and a fire ignited inside of Tony. It seemed like forever before they broke apart to get oxygen back into their lungs. 

"I had to do that at least once, just to know," Tony murmured. He said something else under his breath and left the lab. Bruce sat down at his desk trying to process everything that'd happened. "What am I supposed to do now?" He said to himself. "You could accept my apology?" Came a voice behind him. Fitz was standing nervously in the doorway to the lab. "Oh, Fitz, um hi." 

"Hi, um, basically Jemma had her exam today but it didn't go well and I was annoyed for her. I didn't mean for that to come out as anger. So, um, sorry about that." The brilliant scientist stumbled over his words, paused, and left the lab. Now there was even more for Bruce to think about.


End file.
